Unwounded Soldier
by FinitoTheEnd
Summary: Sooner or later everyone has to say goodbye, Ashe has never known anything else than goodbyes. but what if this goodbye was not final? what if death was only temporary?
1. Chapter 1

Ashe lay on her bed and read a book when Raminas entered.

"Ashe, will you come down for a moment?"

"What is it about, father?"

"Your fiancé has arrived."

"I'm getting married?"

"Yes, I told you so long ago, didn't I?"

"I'm afraid I missed that part, who is he?"

"You used to play with him when you were younger, and I've seen you blush every time he is mentioned."

Ashe frowned and the gasped.

"Come on, let's meet young Prince Rasler."

Ashe stepped out of her bed and went down with her father. When she saw how much Rasler had grown and how handsome he had become her heart started to race. She blushed furiously when Rasler smiled at her.

"Lady Ashe." He said and took a step toward her before he bowed. He then took her hand and kissed her knuckles. If possible, she blushed even more.

"The wedding will stand next month, until then we have much to prepare, and we will have to go back to Nabudis..."

"No father, you have to get back, if you are serious about this marriage and me moving here, I stay."

Ashe gasped at Lord Raslers icy comment, even his father flinched. Then she smiled.

* * *

Not that Ashe minded the marriage, at least not with _him. _She had had her doubts with their marriage, that he would get bored with her and find himself a mistress. But when he had promised her to have no one else, her doubts vanished. And now when she lay under him and he whispered in her ear that he loved her, she hoped that this happiness would last until death should tear them apart. She kissed his neck and felt the love between them, slowly building toward their peak. This was not their first time, but it got better all the time, not that he hadn't been with anybody before, quite the contrary, he was quite a ladies man back in Nabradia. But Ashe had not had any experience, not of that kind at least. She opened her eyes, her body rocked with pleasure and she screamed, he quickly followed her and they collapsed, sweaty and satisfied in their bed, she smiled as he rolled off her and lay beside her. They lay there, her back to his chest and his arms around her waist. She felt his heartbeat against her back; she smiled when he kissed her neck again.  
"Are you still awake?" he whispered and Ashe turned around.

"Yes."

"Your father called me to a meeting earlier this evening; I am going to Nalbina tomorrow morning."

Ashes world stopped.

"I hadn't noticed you being gone…" Ashe felt tears prick her eyes. "So the rumors are true? Nabradia has fallen? Your family and friends are gone? The dusk shard…"

"Yes. I couldn't protect my fatherland; I could protect the fatherland of our children, if we have a child before it's too late."

Ashe couldn't stop her tears, they went down her cheeks.

"Too late?"

Rasler didn't answer.

"Please don't go, I don't have a good feeling about this…"  
"Ashe, I do this not because it's what I want, I do this for our family." His hand came to rest on her lower abdomen.

"You are not expecting are you?" he asked then and frowned. Ashe smiled, Raslers surprised face said it all.

"Yes." She whispered and he covered her body with his again.

* * *

Ashe sighed and curled her blanket closer over her chest, she looked out the window, then she looked at Raslers empty side. Oh god how she missed him, she wanted him to come back to her, she was on the edge of desperate, it had been two weeks already, and they had been married two months when he left, hardly. Rasler had gone to Nalbina to try and keep his new homeland from suffering the same fate as his beloved Nabradia. Ashe sighed again and cuddled under the covers and tried to sleep, but every time someone walked outside she sat up, only to be disappointed that their bedroom door was and remained closed. When the bedroom door finally opened she sat up with a big smile on her face, but her smile faded when she saw who it was.

"Father?" Raminas shot his eyes to the ground and then looked up at his daughter.

What was heard out of that room next was a quiet sob and then a high-pitched scream.

* * *

Ashe lay down in her bed and held one of his shirts, just to have something that was his. Her eyes were red of the tears and lack of sleep, two days had passed since her father told her that Rasler had fallen during the battle of Nalbina. She finally stood up; her maid took a black dress out of the closet and helped her with the skirt.

"Milady, Princess Ashe?" the maid said nervously and Ashe quickly snapped back.

"What is it?"

"The skirt does not fit…"

"Then tie it harder…" Ashe gasped and bit her lip.

"Milady?"

"No, just tie it if there's enough ribbon to keep it up."

The maid tied it and then put the black veil in her hair. When the dressing was done the maid bowed and left the room. Ashe looked at herself in the mirror, then turned to the side and stroke her belly, there was a little swollenness over her lower abdomen, she should tell her father, but maybe not today. She put both her hands over her hands over the tiny person inside her and then whispered.

"I lost your father and my husband, I will love you and keep you from any harm that may come in our way, I will protect you, always and forever. Never forget that. Well now, time to say goodbye to your father." Ashe sighed and opened her door. She walked slowly down the hall until she got an idea, the mass would not start yet for hours, she only had to stand in line and shake hands and take condolences, she put her lips into a thin line and pushed the door to the morgue open.

The guard looked at her and shook his head, she swallowed.

"I wish to see my husband one more time before the final farewell. Let me trough, I won't stay long."

The guard still hesitated, but then he opened the door and let Ashe inside. The coffin was open, Raslers body was still and cold, Ashe took his hand and without a second thought she took his wedding ring off his finger. Then she leaned in and kissed his cold lips, she closed her eyes hard and then pulled away. When she looked up she couldn't keep her tears away, they fell and landed on his face.

"It's not fair. You died too young, like a story that's just begun. No matter how much I need you now, heaven needed you more. I promise, I will avenge you, and I will not have another man before the day I meet you again. I am grateful for the time we had together and that I got to have you in my life, and for this little one. I love you, and will keep loving you until the day I die and meet you again." Ashe leaned in and kissed him again.

"Lady Ashe, you have to leave now." The guard looked at her and then Ashe nodded.

"Why not me before you?" she whispered before she went out of the morgue and up the stairs. The guard looked after her and then shook his head.

"Poor girl." He whispered and turned toward the man behind him. He shook his head. "This is not going to end good milord." The man silently nodded and took a deep breath. With a deep voice he then said;

"Nothing is ever easy, but you learn to live with it." The man looked into the coffin, he lay still and cold waiting for the final farewell. "If you take one road you have to walk it to the end, and that's what I intend to do. I won't give up because of this, I am not a quitter."

"You not playing fair with the princess, milord."

"I know." He said, then swallowed and added; "and it breaks my heart."

* * *

Ashe bowed her head and then walked out of the great hall. She fell down against a wall and sobbed, like a little child. She held her hand over her stomach and felt her tear fall down her face again.

"Ashe, are you alright?"

"Do I look alright to you?" she asked her father with a sobbing voice.

"Ashe?"

Ashe took his hand and placed it on her abdomen.

"Your grandchild won't meet his father."

Raminas took his daughter into his arms and felt how her tears wet his soft cotton blouse. He didn't care if everyone saw them crying here, he couldn't care less about the gossip that would go around if the maids saw them, but now he knew why she was so broken and fragile, he knew why she had seemed so strong the past days, also he understood why she had slept in so many mornings. Everything was put to ease. And it was there and then, crying on the cold marble floor that made him realize, that he probably didn't have much time left, he would meet the same fate as Ashes beloved Husband. But the question lingered, would Ashe be strong enough to take another loss? Would her child survive it?

"He will have a loving mother at least."

"But not a father…"

"Come Ashe, your child needs to say goodbye to his father, as do you."

Ashe nodded and stood up, together they walked toward the cathedral, it was ten weeks since Ashe and Rasler had gone through the city in their parade towards this same cathedral, they had the carriage decorated with living flowers and many colors, there had been chocobos, dressed for the occasion in gold and white. Now the same chocobos were dressed in black armors and the flowers were only white roses, on top of the carriage was an open coffin with a sleeping prince. Raminas walked after Ashe where she carried a big bouquet of flowers. There were not nearly as many people on the streets today as it had been ten weeks ago. But so many had fallen during the war, so many had deserted and so many had left for shelter in Bhujerba or Rozarria. Ashe swallowed, she saw a young girl standing in front of an elderly man and she reached out a tiny bundle of desert lilies.

"Can you give these to prince Rasler?" she asked, Ashed couldn't help, she took the flowers out of her hands and kissed the little girl on top of her head.

"I will child, I will."

* * *

Ashe could have done anything to avoid the funeral, she hated saying farewell. Standing before the coffin made her sadder than she ever thought was possible, she would be strong and don't cry in front of her father, but she soon gave in, she fell down on her knees as tears fell down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry." She whispered and kissed him again. When the coffin was removed and put into the crypt she felt a part of her life forever disappear. She swallowed and her father put an arm around her shoulder, she leaned against him.

"Death is only temporary." He whispered and kissed her brow.

* * *

A few days later Dalmasca fell into the hands of the Archadians and Raminas was killed. Ashe lay in her bed and looked straight at the wall, she barely ate and there was not many ways left, she would probably be killed along with her child. Should she take her own life? She would have done it. But there was someone who had different plans for the rightful heir of Dalmasca and her unborn child.

"This is a poison, she won't suffer." The man said and showed the tiny bottle to Marquis Halim Ondore.

"You are taking her life?"  
"Yes, if we don't, the empire will. And I don't want them to suffer."

"As long as she does not suffer."

"She won't." the man assured him.

Halim nodded, and the man swore that he saw a tear in his eye.

"And when you are telling the people about her passing, she has taken her own life."

"I understand."

Ashe was asleep when the door opened. The man looked at her and then shook his head. He put the towel with the poison over her mouth and nose.

Ashe woke up and looked at the man above her, she didn't see his face, but she noticed the tear that fell onto her face. Then everything went black.

"I'm sorry." He whispered and took her into his arms and slowly walked out of the room.

The following morning she was said to have committed suicide. And two days after the Archadians took Rabanastre. It was the end of an era.

* * *

**Okay, this is the first chapter, I will try to update before new years. but I have to see about that since I have to write during the night, aaand christmas and new years is pretty stuffed for me. **

**Merry christmas and a happy new year! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

The man lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. He shook his head and closed his eyes. But this was for the best, what if the Empire got her? She carried a child for goodness sake; she could not be left behind. Raminas had been killed in cold blood in Nalbina; they would give Ashe no less.

"How does it feel now then?" Vossler asked and sat down beside him.

He simply shook his head and took another drag.

"You know, you should stop that." Vossler pointed to his cigarette. "How long have you been doing that?"

"Since I was fifteen, stole them from my father."

"They are not good."

The man glanced at him and then snapped; "you wanted anything or did you just come here to tell me to stop smoking?"

"Actually, I wanted you to know that soldiers of the empire now patrol the streets, you should be careful, we don't want you to be recognized."

"Is that right? Rabanastre is now under complete control?"

"Yes, Nabradia and Dalmasca are both occupied and Nabradia is nothing else than a wasteland of nothing." Vossler noticed the flash of pain that vent over the man's face at these words.

"I'll be careful."

"Good, how's the princess?"

"It'll be some time before she wakes up."

Vossler nodded and then he turned on the heel and left.

The man put the cigarette out, exhaled the last smoke and then started walking, reaching the house where Ashe was sleeping in a bed, he took a bedcover and pulled it up over her body. He caressed her belly and then his hand lingered over the tiny bump, it was not big but if you knew it was there you noticed it. He looked at her and then leaned forward. But he couldn't, his lips were only a few centimeters from hers, then he took a deep breath, pulled away and closed the bedroom door. He closed his eyes, pulled his hood over his eyes and left the house. It had been a long journey, and Vossler had not believed that he would be healed that quickly, it had been one and half weeks, no one thought that he had been so close to dying as he had been.

"So the princess took her own life huh?"

"Apparently, but I have not seen her body."

Imperials. He hated them; he hated everything they stood for. He held a hand on the sword sheath, determined to take them away from this world, from a kingdom that they had taken through force and lies. Then he relaxed and turned around. No. how much he wanted to kill them, he couldn't risk the safety of Ashe, himself and everyone that had helped them. It was not worth it. He sighed and lit another cigarette. For the moment he didn't care for one second that the guards were nearby and most certainly felt the cigarette smoke. No, he couldn't kill them. But he could play, he had done it before, he could do it again.

* * *

Her head ached; she was stiff, thirsty and hungry. She tried to think, but no thought came into her head, everything was in chaos. She tried to move her arms, but they did not answer. She tried to open her eyes; the only thing she saw was blackness.

She made a soft groan, she tried to move her hand to her stomach, but once again it did not react. _Am I dead? If this is Galteas paradise I don't want to be._

When the world came into focus Ashe groaned and nearly screamed when the feeling returned to her legs.

"It's better if you relax, and try to keep quiet."

"Wha…"

"It's the poison getting out of your system."

"Who…"

"It's me, Vossler."

"Oh."

Ashe did as told, she sighed and the pain actually got lighter.

"Why?" she asked.

"You know that your father was killed."

"I do know."

"To save you from a certain death we had to kill you."

Ashe frowned, if she had been confused before, that was nothing compared to this.

"Telling the Marquis that I killed you was a way for me to make sure that the empire did not harm you. You are dead by suicide, Lady Ashe."

"What?"

"When you father was killed we realized that you would meet the same fate as him, and it's not just you anymore. To save you from the empire we had to make sure they thought you were dead, I told the Marquis that I was going to kill you, and also that when he made the announcement you had taken your own life. "

"We? What do you mean, not you anymore."

Vossler realized he had made a huge mistake, he hadn't thought she would take him literally.

"I happen to know that you carry a child. And when we saved you, we had that in mind."

"Who told you about the child? The only ones who knew were my father and Rasler, and they are both dead."

Vossler did not answer. Ashe sat up in the bed and glared at him.

"And then again, who are these _we_? I have only seen you."

"I don't work alone. That's all you need to know. Now rest, you will need your strength."

With that Vossler turned around and closed the door. Ashe lay back down and put her hands on her stomach. "I promise to keep you safe, little one. And I keep my promises."

She closed her eyes and soon fell into a troubled sleep.

* * *

He walked slowly down the bazaar, and then turned out toward the bridge. The guards followed him, and that's what he wanted. He turned his head slightly and saw them behind him. He smirked, stopped at the bridge and lit another cigarette.

"Hey, you. Don't you know, it's forbidden to smoke after sunset?"

He cocked an eyebrow and held the cigarette out toward the guard.

"Put it out. Now."

"Are you sure you don't want one." He asked.

"Are you being stubborn? Put that out right away!"

"I'm sorry." He threw the cigarette on the ground and then stepped on it.

"And then you'll be coming with us." The other guard took a step toward him.  
"May I ask where?"

"No, you may not, and you are awfully confident for a street rat."

_Oh if only you knew. _

"We better take him to Nalbina." The guard took his arm as the other grabbed his other arm and then they started to walk.

"Oh, I'm afraid I'll have to pass on that one."

"You are not saying? Why is that?"

"I survived Nalbina once; it's quite boring to do the same thing over and over."

"Oh that you did?"

_In the end it's all about armor, it's not about strength. We'll see how tough they really are. _He had been training his stamina and strength his entire life. This would not be hard. They had not thought that this street rat knew how to fight. He looked at the guard and then he bend his arm backwards, the guard was surprised. The second guard stepped back, folded his arms and shook his head.

"I meant what I said when I said that I will never go back to Nalbina."

Giving the guard a kick to his ribs then a knock to his head made that point clear.

"Milord, what do you do now?" the other guard took off his helmet. There were footsteps coming from the bazaar and they were coming fast.

"I will go home; I think I'm done here tonight."

"Alright I'll deal with him, just be careful."

"That's the second time you save my life; remind me of that next time you're in trouble, until then."

He turned around, opened the door and went down the stairs. The man bowed his head and put his helmet back on, then he drew his sword and without a second thought he stuck the sword into the man on the grounds chin and out the back of his head. When the guards arrived he ran away and let him lying in his own blood.

* * *

Ashe sat up in bed. She stared straight ahead and then removed the ring she carried on her long finger. It was her name in it. But had that actually been him in the coffin? Who else could it have been? Ashe frowned and recalled her dream.

"_I love you, and I could not leave you alone with the child." He told her that, but his chest had stained blood all over it, his white armor was red and his face was pale. So pale. _

"_Are you alive?" she asked, hands over her growing stomach._

"_I don't know, do you want me alive?"_

_Ashe had turned away, and when she looked at him again, he was gone._

"_Rasler!" she screamed and turned her head, then flinched when he was directly behind her._

"_I am here. Where are you?"_

"_Right here."_

"_No." _

_Ashe gasped when he disappeared. _

"_Don't leave me again!"_

"_I've never left." His voice echoed in her head._

"_You died."  
"Death is only temporary if you want it to be."_

"I wish you could have stayed alive a little longer." She muttered and put the ring back on.

"Keep your roses I'm not dead."

* * *

**A/N; so, I've been driving drunks home throughout the night, spent days recovering from Christmas and new year's AND tried to catch up with friends and family, so due to no spare time at all and hangovers I have not been able to update, but now. I wanted this chapter to be longer, but they wouldn't let me...**

**Yeah yeah I suck writing fighting scenes, but deal with it. sorry about the smoking thing, but it has a deal later on ;) anyway, leave Review but please don't flame, the beginnings are always stinky for me but I've taken some advices and I THINK I am getting better **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer; I don't own final fantasy XII or any of its characters (except Richard and Raziel.) **

Ashe turned around, she swore that she had heard his voice in the room, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"I am going insane." Ashe whispered to herself and turned to the bed again. "No, it's the poison still, I am not insane." For some reason she was not completely sure about what she said.

Vossler had said that the poison was leaving her system, she was hallucinating things, he _was _dead, she had seen him, kissed his cold lips. Even the ring had belonged to him. Then why did this feel wrong? Why did it feel like he was still with her? Watching her every step. She put her hand on her stomach and closed her eyes. _Keep your roses I'm not dead. _

"What does that mean?"

"What means what?"

"Oh, Vossler, nothing, just…"

"I brought you clothes, and one more thing, you cannot leave this house for some time, there are imperials all over, we don't want or need you to be recognized, it could mean death for all of us."

"I'll stay indoors, though I'm sure I'd lose my mind." _From one prison to another._

* * *

"Why did you go with the imperials?" he asked the guard and put his cigarette out. The guard simply smiled and then answered;

"Because Azelas asked me, we killed one guard just after they came here, I took his place."

"When that other guard was killed, what did you say?"

"I told them that he had raised weapon against me, that he tried to run from his post, and that's why I had to kill him."

"And they believed you?"

"Of course, why wouldn't they?"

"No real reason, just wondering."

"After the incident in the morgue I left to line up with the Archadians, and then we killed one guard named Ilidon Vargos. That's my name now."

"I never told you that I was going out that night when the other guard was killed."

"No, you didn't. But I knew you were going to be there."

The man looked surprised, his blue eyes widened and he tilted his head to one side.

"How could you know?"

"I've learned your every move, I specifically asked to be on patrolling the bridge that night, because I knew what you were about to do."

"You know me too well."

"I've known you for a very long time."

The man laughed and then sighed.

"Well, I better get back to work; before they notice that I am gone." The guard put his helmet on and bowed.

"It was good seeing you again, Forz."

"The same milord. The same." He said and left.

The man heard footsteps on the floor above after the door closed. The footsteps came towards the stairs, one stair at a time. He smiled sadly, shook his head and went out through the door before she got downstairs, he heard her voice saying something after him, but pretended he never heard it.

* * *

Ashe frowned and looked at the door which had been closed right before her eyes. She had heard low voices coming from the kitchen before, but she could not make out who it could have been. Then she headed into the kitchen, she was starving. There was nothing eatable in the entire kitchen; either it was maggot eaten or moldy. Crackers with wormholes? No thank you, I'll pass.

Ashe quickly felt her stomach convulse and she threw up into the closest thing she could find, which happened to be a bucket full of more worm eaten food. Then she headed upstairs and lay back on her bed. The clothes she had been wearing when brought here now hang over a chair beside a full-length mirror. She wore a pink miniskirt and a white shirt, it was only a matter of time before people started notice her condition, and how was she supposed to find clothes or even food? She had no money, not even enough for three eggs. Then she once again fell asleep.

* * *

She had been down during the day; there was vomit in the waste bucket. Vossler knew that he had to clean the kitchen and find some food for the poor girl, she and her child would not survive long without food or water for that matter. Throwing everything into the waste bucket and then taking it out took its time, but he had to do it, the family that used to live here had lost mother and two children during the worst wave of the plague, the oldest daughter married to some man in the former kingdom of Landis and the father and oldest son fell during the war. Vossler had taken over it after Lord Rasler fell, he knew what he had to do, and now he was going to clean the kitchen and toilet and then maybe she could find this place worth living in. he sighed, it was a bad idea from the beginning, but he was not going to pay the prize. The one behind all of this had to, and he was going to do it, no matter how much it hurt. But they had to lay low for a while, all of them, every scar and every wound was still fresh, no need to put salt in them, the imperials were taking care of that good already. Vossler emptied the wastebasket again and then vent inside. He made her some food before he left, locking the door behind him.

* * *

Ashe woke in the middle of the night, her stomach grumbled and she had to find food. Fast. As soon as she opened the door she felt that heavenly smell of bread. Her stomach made another sound and she hurried downstairs. Bread and some soup. The best she'd seen for a long time. She smiled as she saw the note Vossler had left her. _Eat responsibly Amalia. _Ashe smiled softly. _So that's my new name? It fits me pretty well. Considering it was my mother's name and_ _I am her reflection._

* * *

"They say that the Prince Richard and Princess Raziel of Nabradia are still alive, and of all places is Richard here in Rabanastre. I wish to have him found and executed."

"Milord, they are only rumors." Judge Ghis bowed to the consul who had just been stationed in Rabanstre.

"There are rumors about an insurgence forming in here, we need to stop any such nonsense, and if rumors are true that Lord Richard and Lady Raziel are alive the midlight shard has got an heir."

"But Nabudis is destroyed."

"They say that Lady Raziel is hiding outside the borders, perhaps in Bhujerba. However, she is not of importance, the shard will not accept her since she is only a girl, no, it is Richard we have to find, also there are more silent rumors that Lord Richard used to go under another name. Do you know which?"

"Lord Rasler."

"Richard has got a scar under his ear, made by their insane mother; the man they buried had that scar. However Rasler does not. Did you see Lady Ashes body?"

"No, sir."

"Do you see this pattern?"

Ghis shook his head in disbelief.

"And there were also rumors that Lady Ashe was expecting a child when she supposedly died, where does this leave us?"  
"With an heir to Dalmasca, one to Nabradia, and one to the united lands of Dalmasca and Nabradia."

"Correct. Ghis, find them, kill them, and destroy the bodies."

Ghis bowed and left the room.

* * *

I have never been easy to take down, my brothers even said so, they were older, stronger and more trained, overall bigger, but what they lacked in flexibility I had. Yes they are much older than me; Richard was only a year and a half older so we got along very good. No, I was not the youngest; I had a twin sister, Raziel and a younger sister Vada. I had three older brothers, Richard, Elias and Elliot. Elias and Elliot were killed our mother, she had lost her mind, she thought that they planned on killing her and father and had them executed, my mother was taken away shortly afterwards. Richard had been staying with his fiancée in Nalbina when war broke out, after mine and Ashes wedding he decided to stay and spend some time with her there. Then of course, came the destruction of Nabudis, my father and sisters all died, I don't know what happened to my mother, but to be honest, I don't really care. Richard stayed in Nalbina when we arrived. And then, He died. Shot three times in the stomach, I saw him in the morgue and that was when I decided to stay alive.

* * *

"_What news?" The Captain stood in front of the young lieutenant as they prepared to leave Nalbina. _

"_The prince has fallen."_

"_Words has already been spread?" captain fon Ronsenburg asked and looked at the young man._

"_He was found on the north wall by some of my men."_

"_I saw him fall of his chocobo on the eastern wall, I was there."  
"But his body was found…"_

"_Show him to me." The young lieutenant bowed and walked before him thru the dark castle._

"_Now go." The man bowed again and closed the door._

"_It came down to this? We have two princes to bury." He mumbled as he looked at the boy._

_Captain Fon Ronsenburg looked at the boy and then noticed a scar under his right ear, he couldn't recall to have seen a scar like that on Lord Rasler._

"_I see you noticed." The sore, raspy voice came from behind him. The captain turned around and blinked in disbelief. _

"_Prince Rasler… but I saw you fall."_

"_The empire will need more than one arrow to kill me." _

"_But milord, you are hurt."_

"_Nothing I can't take. Give me your bow."_

_The captain gave it to him and watched as he shot his brothers body in the chest. _

"_Now help me change clothes on him, did you think I'd let the prince get buried in those?"_

"_It is as good armor as any."_

"_But it does not belong to the Prince." _

"_How come this man looks exactly like you?" _

"_We're brothers. From this day on, my name is Richard, and Rasler is the one who died, understood?" _

"_You shot your own brothers body."_

"_I am not insane, I don't feel good about this, and besides, it's only his body, Galtea has taken his soul."_

_Fifteen minutes later prince Rasler Heios Nabradia was dressed in his armor and on his way back to Rabanastre. Richard followed his brother, and there he met Vossler. And they decided that if anything happened to Raminas, Ashe was to be taken into safety. Everything went according to plan._

Ashe did not see any difference, neither did anyone else than Forz.

* * *

Run, that is the only thing you can do. Run if you care for life. They took everything away from me; they destroyed my home, my love, my life. First my mother, then the Imperials. My life is one big failure. I do not need anymore. I could have avoided the bloodbath of Nabudis. I was selfish; I refused to marry Vayne Solidor. But if I had? I would probably have had to turn weapons on my own brother. My own twin brother. Not that anybody would have believed that we were twins, he was tall, handsome, blond hair and blue eyes, every girl basically fell when he walked past. I, on the other hand was short, brown haired and brown eyed.

I ran for days, maybe even weeks. Where? I don't know. I just had to get away. Away from everything. When I saw the ocean I stopped, my loose hair blew over my face, then everything went black, I did not die, not even close.

**A/N; Yes Rasler is alive (everyone had figured that out already though); Ashe does not know this of course.**

**I couldn't resist putting Raziels point of view, but you won't hear from her in a long time, that's why it had to happen now.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N; this is another supershort chapter, I have been busy again and my computer is not in the best of moods. Sigh. Anyway, next chapter will be longer. I promise, right hand to god.**

_One step to the right._

Everything was calmed down now, but they all had to lay low, that would never change.

_Think of it like a dance, left._

Ashe dodged.

_Hit when they are least aware._

She put her sword up to avoid a blow to the face.

_Don't turn your back to the enemy. _

She tripped, landing on her knee.

"If that had been an enemy you'd be dead now." Vossler said and helped Ashe up.

"I guess that this is it for today, go back, take care of this little one." Vossler caressed her stomach. She had grown over the past weeks; there was no way to hide her condition anymore.

"Yes, I'll be going." Vossler nodded and started walking towards Rabanastre.

Ashe took her sword up from the ground when she noticed someone behind her. She turned around. The man wore a grey hooded cape and a black bandana over his face. Beneath the cape he had a pair of light blue trousers, grey shoes and a white cotton shirt.

"You want to fight?" she asked and he shook his head. Yet he drew his sword and stood in front of her.

"Then what do you want? You can't talk?"

He didn't say anything.

"Fine then, have it your way."

He lifted his sword; Ashe dodged his attack, then another. She tried to focus, as Vossler had learned her.

_Damn he's fast. _

Ashe lunged at him and he dodged the attack with his sword.

_Where have I seen that sword before?_

For a split second she lost focus. And that was fatal. Before she knew it he held her sword in his other hand. She took a step back.

_Don't turn your back to your enemy._

Then she did it again. She tripped, this time she landed on her butt, and leaned up on her elbows. He pointed toward her throat with his sword, then he lowered it and pointed toward her stomach.

_No, don't, not my little one. Not my son._

Her breath hitched and she looked at him. She closed her eyes, waiting for him to finish her off; she looked up and saw him holding her sword by the blade, handle toward her. She took it and he reached his hand out towards her. Then he nodded and started walking.

"Well, how did I do?" she asked and he turned around.

"Not ready." He said and started walking again.

_What? _

It had sounded like _his_ voice, but he IS dead. And it sounded…sore. Sore and Raspy, not like Raslers at all, still, it was an undertone to it, like he had tried to make it sound like that.

Ashe started walking back to Rabanstre. She entered the labyrinth that was lowtown, and unlocked the door to the two storied house. She entered her bedroom and sat down on her bed. She caressed her stomach and smiled softly. Now, more than ever she wished for her husband to be there with her. She missed him terribly, missed everything about him, his scent, his touch and their lovemaking. She knew with herself she could never be intimate with another man again. When your maidenhood is given to someone, you cling to that person; you do not let someone else be where only your true love has been. She sighed and caressed her stomach, now 17 weeks along. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

* * *

Ashe had grown, she really had. It had taken him all his will and strength not to ruin everything and confess to her that he had lied to her.

Rasler lit his cigarette and looked out over the setting sun, Ashe didn't know that he smoked, he had never told her and she hadn't asked. He really should stop, it was not cheap and it was definitely not good.

He sighed and then put it out. His father hated his smoking, his mother had once seen him smoke, that had been just before she lost her mind completely. She had tried to kill him, but taken wrong with him and Richard, leaving a six centimeter long scar under Richards's right ear. The following week Elliot and Elias had been executed and their mother taken away.

Ashe must have known something when he came up to her, after fighting a short time she glanced at his sword and after that she lost focus. Soon she would understand, it would not long before she put the pieces together. Rasler looked out from the bridge and heard someone coming up behind him.

"Lord Richard?" the sweet female voice behind him made him turn around.

"Oh, Lady Dina."

"You are needed downstairs, the captain asked for you." She said in a sweet tone.

Dina D'Alma had been married and had three sons, her husband fell during the plague, and her two oldest sons were taken away and killed not long after the invasion, she was in her early thirties, and wanted nothing than revenge on her sons, she was very attractive, Rasler would never say anything else, but he was not attracted to her, he was still married, and he had promised Ashe to have no one else.

"I spoke to the captain earlier today; I will not be needed for some time yet."

"Oh."

"I am sorry Lady Dina but I cannot give myself to you, no matter how much you wish that."

Dina shot her eyes to the ground and blushed, her intentions had been clear.

"I thought, since both you and I…"

"Lady, I do not bed every good-looking woman I see, and I am sure you do not want to get that reputation either."

"Of course not, I am sorry, Lord Richard. I leave you do whatever you want."

Rasler nodded and turned around again. Once upon a time he may have followed her home, taken her and left before she woke up. But not anymore, he was married and his wife was expecting their child.

Suddenly his gaze followed a young man walking past him and pulled the heavy gate to the stairway open, Rasler pulled his bandana back over his face and followed the man silently. When it was clear where he was going Rasler drew his sword.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry about not updating for so long. I am sorry to say that it probably won't be for another while yet. I have to leave my stories for the time being since I have personal problems I need to attend to first. It does not mean I leave them completely but I need motivation to write and I can't find motivation to do anything right now. I may be back in early May, maybe. Until then stay tuned.**


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